Shakya's Brandsutra 2.0 offers practitioner-led perspective on brand strategy in emerging South Asia

KATHMANDU: Brandsutra 2.0, a new book on marketing and brand building, offers a practitioner-led perspective on brand strategy in emerging South Asia, drawing on market experience rooted in Nepal and comparable regional economies.

Authored by Ujaya Shakya, a brand marketing professional and entrepreneur, the book draws on his work with global clients, network agencies, senior leadership roles and entrepreneurship. As founder of Outreach Nepal, Shakya has worked across brand strategy, digital marketing, activations and BTL, rural marketing, media planning and buying, and reputation management. Consequently, these experiences inform Brandsutra 2.0’s approach to how brands grow, sustain relevance and sometimes fail, and what marketers can learn from those failures.

Speaking about the book, Shakya says, “Rather than offering formulae or shortcuts, Brandsutra 2.0 focuses on long-term thinking, cultural context and responsibility. It encourages readers to move beyond campaign execution and adopt a brand custodianship mindset — one that recognises brands as long-term assets built through consistency, intent and trust.”

Edited by Prof Ujjwal K Chowdhury, the book benefits from the input of an education leader and communication expert with more than two decades of experience in transforming higher education institutions across India, Bangladesh and other South Asian markets through senior leadership roles, including dean and pro-vice-chancellor.

Moreover, Brandsutra 2.0 addresses a gap in mainstream marketing literature largely shaped by Western contexts. It examines brand building in environments characterised by young populations, rising aspirations, rapid change, cultural diversity, infrastructure constraints and highly value-conscious consumers.

Written primarily for young marketing professionals, business and creative students, entrepreneurs and brand leaders, the book emphasises perspective before tactics. It encourages clearer thinking around positioning, relevance, trust, creativity and long-term brand stewardship in markets where sales-driven pressures often compete with brand-building philosophy.

Currently, Brandsutra 2.0 is available in Nepal and is aimed at marketers, agency colleagues and brand leaders who work with or study emerging markets. The publisher said the book will soon be available across other South Asian markets.

The book is published by Neema Education Foundation.